Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-03-09
WIRE FLASHES.
The Last Hours Of Congress- -C0nflr.
mations-Uprisings In Bulgaria
Foreign News, Etc.
CONGRESSIONAL.


WASHINGTON, ~. O.y MdTCu 4.-1 I'LL
morning at o'clock Mr.. Plumb, from tn,
Conference Committee on the District o
Columbia Appropriation bill, reported
that the committee had been unable te
agree. He moved that the Senate insis,
on it's dis .greement and ask further con
ference. So ordered.
He also presented a conference report on
the bill for the relief OF settlers and pur
chasers OF public lands in Kansas and Neb
raska. Agreed to.
Also h conference report of the Postoffice
Appropriation bill, the Senate receding
from the Senate amendment for mail
steamer service to South America.
Agreed to.
The Deficiency bill being again taken up,
an item Tor motion of Mr.. Dawes) was
inserted to pay to the Choctaw Indians
$2,s5S. 900, the amount of judgment OF
the Supreme Court at the October term,
1886. Finally the bill and amendments
we're reporte to the Senate. On the de-
mand OF Mr.. McPhersen the yeas
and nays were taken on one of the Pacific
Railroad amendments and was agreed to
Yeas, 27; nays, II. The yeas and nays
were also taken on an amendment for
French spoilation claims and it was agreed
to-Yeas, "a; nays. ~.
Mr.. Morgan moved to insert provision
for fifty copyists for The pension office and
made an affecting appeal on behalf of
many respectable, educated. but poor
women who were seeking government EN-
ploy in Washington but cannot get it
under civil service rules. After discussion
the motion was laid on the table Yeas,
27;nays, 16.
Finally, at 5:15 O'Clock, the bill was
passed and n message to that effect was
sent tn the House.
Mr.. Allison presented the conference re-
port on the legsla tive. executive and Judi
cial bill agreement being reached on all
points except as TO clerks to Senator's. He
moved that the Senate insist. So ordered.
Other House hills were then taken from the
calendar and passed. They Nere of minor
il portance.
The Senate at q. m. went into secret
session.
The doors were re-opened at 10 A. NJ, the
Senate having in the meanwhile taken a
two hours recess. The first business done
was the presentation by Plumb of the con-
ference report on the District of Columbia
Appropriation bill. The report was read
again. The next business was the rresenta-
ton by Dawes of the conference report on
the Fertilization bill. 1t was that the
conferees had not been able to agree.
Dawes said it was with infinite regret that
the Senate eonferees were obliged to make
this report. They had conceded very
much ia order to reach a conclusion, and
to save the essence and vitality Of the |
measure needed to protect the coast. The |
fortifcation plan which they had
submitted to the committee was
expressed in the form of a |
bill which he would have printed in the |
Record, and along with it he would have
printed the plan submitted at the last |
moment by the house conferees. The |
country would judge between these propo. |
sitions and decide where tho blame lay for |
the failure OF Congress to do anything |
towards the Inauguration of some efficient |
system OF forti6cations. The irreconciIable |
difference between the Senate managers |
and House managers was on the question |
OF purchasing steel for the purpose of |
making steel guns OF the highest type. The
question might be summed up in one |
sentence-whether cast iron guns should |
be subordinated to the highest type OF steel |
guns.
Hawley, another OF the conferees, said he |
desired to emphasize the most extraordi-
nary condition of affairs. There was no |
iortiication bill for tie current year nor for
next year. So far as it concerned the
army, coast defenses and heavy guns,
nothing whatever had been done. There
was no money to cut grass for the forts or
to buy shingles or nails for the old sheds
and dwellings of forts, not one solitary
cent. Work was stopped and all property
at these forts were left to rack and ruin
for the coming two years. The simple
statement of that fact was a most extra
ordinary Indictment of somebody. He
had no doubt that if the whole subject
could have been left open to the full and
free deliberation OF Congress, something
would have been done which would have
been a credit to the country. So far as the
Senate was concerned, the record would
show that the debates and votes on both
sides of the chamber had been fully up to
the popular demand.
Just before adjournment the enrolled
District of Columbia Appropriation bill
was passed and sent to the President for
signature but the conference report on the
deficiency bill was too late to he reported
and died
resolution of thanks to the presiding
officer was adopted, and after report had
been received from the President stating
that he had NO further communications to
make the Senate was declared adjourned.